Are weight-loss drugs safe?

My local Safeway didn’t have a huge weight-loss pill selection. Zantrex-3 is promoted by Snooki–I think that is enough information on that one, eh?

If diet pills worked wouldn’t we all be skinny?

I have always been leery of diet pills.

I know as the new year is here some people may be thinking of taking them.

Personally I would not take them. But if you do, please do your research. Some are dangerous. Some have some very serious side effects. And it is questionable if they have long-term effects.

I also would recommend talking to your doctor before taking anything, whether over the counter or prescription. The research I did on a few pills all seemed to agree that they were for people who are obese and should only be taken in the short term.

It’s easy to lose weight quickly, but keeping it off is the real challenge and ultimate goal. And being healthy and maintaing a healthy lifestyle is really what is important.

Most, if not all, weight-loss pills will have in print somewhere that the drug should be combined with exercise and a balanced diet. So in other words, don’t think you can just take the pill and eat and drink whatever you want and stay sedentary and lose weight.

According to WebMD, Phentermine is an appetite suppressant. Phentermine is used in people who are significantly overweight (obese) and have not been able to lose enough weight with diet and exercise alone. … Some side effects: Dizziness, dry mouth, difficulty sleeping, irritability, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation may occur.

According to WebMD, Alli (Xenical) blocks the enzyme that breaks down fats in your diet. Dietary fats need to be broken down into smaller pieces before the body can absorb them. Orlistat works by blocking the enzyme that breaks down fats in your diet. This undigested fat then passes out of your body in your bowel movement. Orlistat does not block the absorption of calories from sugar and other non-fat foods, so you still need to restrict your total intake of calories.

According to WebMD, a chemical in Hoodia called P57 is thought to decrease feelings of hunger. … There isn’t enough information to know if Hoodia is safe. … According to news reports, some samples of Hoodia sold on the Internet do not contain any Hoodia at all. You might not get what’s listed on the label.

Sensa is not a diet pill. But I see so many commercials for it that I decided to research it and address it.

According to the Sensa website, all it takes is 3 seconds to sprinkle it on food before you eat. There’s no need to change your diet, eat special meals, or starve yourself. (That’s where I start to question it. I mean, no you shouldn’t starve yourself … but you can keep eating hot fudge sundaes and buckets of friend chicken?) You can continue to eat what your family is eating and even go out to your favorite restaurants. SENSA® will help you eat less of the foods you love.

From a WebMD article, Sensa is intended to work with your sense of smell, fooling your brain and stomach into thinking you’re full, according to Alan Hirsch, MD, founder and neurologic director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, who developed Sensa crystals. … The lack of published scientific evidence on Sensa, along with a lack of diet and fitness guidelines to accompany the product, raise a red flag for some nutrition experts.

From another WebMD article: Keep in mind that these drugs are not a cure-all for obesity. The use of weight loss drugs should be combined with physical activity and improved diet to lose and maintain weight successfully over the long term. … Currently, most available weight loss drugs approved by the FDA are for short-term use, meaning a few weeks or months.

From the WebMD article on Sensa (linked above): Educating yourself about healthy eating and making simple, sustainable changes to your lifestyle are the keys to lasting weight loss. You can do that without buying a product.